Body image is the picture an individual has of his or her body and what she or he thinks it looks like to others. Researchers believe that concern over body image is really a mask for how a person feels about themselves: their self-esteem.
Related materials:
The Story of Danielle Belanger & Alison Cooper: Tips for Queer Women
The Story of Sylvia Bodine: Become a "Don't Mess With Me" Senior
The Russells: Things Parents Can Do to Prevent Eating Disorders
Related materials:
Recognizing When Someone May Have or Be at Risk for Developing an Eating Disorder: Guidelines for Physicians | article
It's difficult for anyone to grow up today without body image angst and without engaging in weight-control practices. Prejudice against fat, societal pressure for women and men to maintain an 'ideal' but often unattainable body size and shape, and the current war on obesity, has created a climate wherein many girls (and an increasing number of boys) experience an uneasy relationship... [more]
Dietitians and Fitness Instructors Speak About the Dark Side of Physical Activity: The Stories of Leila Chan, Corey Sullivan & Alisa Cohen | article
Leila, Corey and I were at the Daily Roast in December, sipping away at our lattes when the subject of compulsive exercise came up. Leila and I met and bonded eight years ago as dietetic students at UBC. She went the way of private practice and I'm a community nutritionist. We both met Corey when we took her fitness class at the community centre last year... [more]
Making Friends with Your Metabolism | article
We all need energy to survive. Plants, animals, bacteria, cats, dogs, people and every other living organism needs energy which comes from the food that we eat and digest. Metabolism refers to the amount of energy (calories) your body needs and burns to maintain itself. Whether you are eating, drinking, sleeping... [more]
Loving Yourself and Your Body in a Weight-Obsessed World | article
Are you sick of criticizing your body? Are you tired of feeling badly about yourself? Are you ready to let go of your self-criticism and start loving yourself and your body in a weight-obsessed world? If so, follow the directions... [more]
The Story of Danielle Belanger & Alison Cooper: Tips for Queer Women | article
Well, it finally happened. Last week, Alison and I had a huge fight and it was all over food. My grade two class had been particularly energetic that day and it was all I could do to get dinner on the table. Then I had to watch Alison push the pieces of pasta on the plate—back and forth, back and forth, with just about every fifth piece making it as far as her mouth. It wasn’t the first time... [more]
The Story of Brian Scott: Tips for Men and Boys | article
I was standing by the bus stop after my session with my therapist, thinking about the four years I have spent working through my issues with body image and bulimia. I was trying to make sense of what had happened and to understand especially—why me? I was a fat child. I take after my mother. From as far back as I can remember... [more]
The Story of Sylvia Bodine: Become a "Don't Mess With Me" Senior | article
I just don't know what the world is coming to. All I hear about every day is don’t eat, lose weight. Lose weight to be attractive. Lose weight to be healthy. Lose weight to live forever... and even when women do lose weight, they are then told to lose some more. When I was a teenager, we worried about our figures but perfection to us meant... [more]
The Russells: Things Parents Can Do to Prevent Eating Disorders | article
Six months ago, my daughter Megan came home from school and told me that one of the girls in her grade 6 class had anorexia. "What!" I exclaimed, "She’s only eleven years old." When I found out that other girls her age were also beginning to develop eating disorders, I started to look at... [more]
Eating Disorders and Body Image | fact sheet
A lot of us, particularly in Western society, have poor body image. We are bombarded with images of beautiful people with near-perfect bodies every day of our lives. The drive to be thin, or muscular, or to have a distinctive figure can create serious problems from unhealthy dieting and disordered eating to serious and even life-threatening eating disorders. The difference is usually a matter of degree... [more]
Eating and Living Well (Wellness Module #7) | worksheet
Summarizes how forward thinking and positive body image can help in following a healthy diet and establishing an exercise regimen. The module provides tips in the form of small steps one can take to achieve a healthier lifestyle...[more]
Body Image and Physical Activity | article from Visions Journal
For many women, the body doesn't always seem like a very safe place. This can be especially true for those coping with issues of mental health and addictions. In some of these cases, it seems safer to numb bodily sensations than to fully experience a range of feelings. If this happens, we lose the natural cues from our bodies that tell us how we are feeling, how to regulate ourselves, and when we are in emotional danger...[more]
Wellness Modules | worksheet series
A series of instructive worksheets on promoting good mental health and general well-being. Based on quality information from well-conducted research in these areas. Included are definitions of basic concepts, tips on how to manage mental health and well-being on a daily basis and links to other helpful resources. The purpose of this information is to help individuals and their families develop good mental health knowledge and skills so they can maximize quality of life and manage the normal ups and downs of life. These modules are relevant to all of us, even those of us who have not had any personal experience with mental disorders or substance use problems…[more]
Depression | fact sheet
During a major depression, a person's general outlook on life can shift dramatically. It can lower a person's sense of self-worth and change how they feel about friends and family. Since depression affects the whole body, it can alter eating and sleeping patterns, increase restlessness and overall fatigue, and even cause mysterious symptoms of physical illness... [more]
Depression Toolkit | workbook
This recovery-oriented workbook provides basic concepts relating to depression such as major types, the range of effective treatment alternatives available and how to find and stick with the approach that works for you, strategies to empower you to take an active role in treatment and support discussions with your health care professional, as well as some useful skills to help identify early warning signs of relapse and seek help. Can be used in conjunction with other guides such as the Self-Care Depression Guide (described within), Anxiety Disorders Toolkit or the Mental Disorders Toolkit... [more]
Depression, Anxiety, Alcohol and Other Drugs | brochure [PDF]
This BC Partners brochure investigates the interrelationships between mood, anxiety, and use of substances as well as signs to watch out for that may indicate a disorder requiring intervention. Unique and overlapping symptoms are also featured, as well as resources.
What are Mental Disorders? | fact sheet
Like it or not, mental illness can affect anyone. In BC, at least one in five people will experience some form of mental illness in his or her lifetime, according to research by Health Canada and the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health... [more]
Tobacco, Alcohol and Other Drugs | fact sheet
Drugs are chemical compounds, found in plants or made in a lab, that affect activity in the brain or the body. Tobacco, alcohol and caffeine are the most commonly used. For thousands of years, people around the world have been using certain drugs to help them in their daily lives. Most people can and do use a wide range of drugs in their daily lives without experiencing serious problems. But problems can happen when a person misuses a drug, or when the effects of a drug lead to behaviour that causes harm to the user or to others... [more]
Family Toolkit | workbook
When a family member suffers from a mental illness, one of the most important things to do is to take the time to learn about the disorder. By educating yourself as much as you can about the mental or substance use disorder, you can take an active role in your family member’s recovery. The Family Toolkit was designed to assist families in caring for a family member with a mental illness by providing information and practical resources...[more]
